The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-03-25

PRNIEL HoRTICULTURAL SOCIETY |
Dvsss Psesssss asa rhssr culssvasisa- |
DsaAing ~ VIVA cAsssy--A sess.siAe
KAay ~ n. cysuA.
RditOr Daily Nsws:
Your correspondent having been un-
lvoidably absent from the ninth regular
meeting Of this Society, which took
place on the afternoon Of the ID instant,
has been kindly furnished by the Presi-
dent, DIR. Cyrus. with memoranda,
him to furnish the following
report of the meeting:
The preliminary routine having been
gone through with, Rev. Becks offered
a paper on the Cultivation Of the Sweet
Potato" Of which the following may
be taken az a short Synopsis:
For very early planting, Mr. Becks
recommends the hot-bed, by the
use of which draws" or sprouts
may be produced two or three
weeks earlier than they will appear
from the previous years field. or from
the ordinary cold-bedding PLAN Ordi-
narily sprouts from the ground upon
which potatoes grew the previous year
will be produced sufficiently early, and
in sufficient abundance for general pur-
poses. The hot-bed should be made early
in February, and the sprouts may be set
out when they attain the height of
three or four inches above ground
Mr.. Becks constructs his ridges for the
reception Of the draws by turning with
the pillow four burrows together-two
from each side-and smoothing up a
little with the hand hoe, upon the top
of which ridges he drops his draws 12 to
IA inches apart, and pushes them down
with stick to the depth of three or four
inches; being careful not to fill up the
hole made by the stick.
| Potatoes, like most other kinds of
vegetables, accept fertilization kindly;
and Mr. Becks considers the best fertil-
izer for general purposes is to be- found
in the COW pen; conclusion upon which
he is likely to encounter but few adver-
! saries. Cotton seed meal is the next
best. 1t is not best to plant draws later
than the middle Of May. Early in June
the vines from the first draws set out
will be long enough to cut for further
planting. They should be cut about Is
inches in length and should be planted
~ the draws are, only both ends should
remain above ground.
The ''stand over" plan is q good way to
obtain early draws and vines; the plan
being to plant the vines in the ordinary
way, only on fiatter beds, about the LIST
of September. Then, when the frost
kills the vines, draw sufficient dirt over
the newly formed potatoes to protect
them from the frosts Of winter Three
| inches of good soil will both protect and
fertilize.
In the discussion that followed, ]. W.
Thomas said his practice did not wholly
agree with that of Mr.. Beck's. In pre-
pairing his ridges he prepared first to
open a furrow for the reception of the
fertilizer, and then to throw up bed
| thereon by making two rounds with the
pillow. the second round doing but little
more than finishing up the ridge from
the dirt moved by the first. This plan
leaves unbroken a strip between the
ridges, to be opened out and turned up
later. when the grass shall have begun to
grow. He does mot use the hoe at all
in making up the beds"
DIR. Cyrus then read a lengthy and
very interesting and instructive paper
upon the subject of
" PLANT FOOD AND PLANT STRUCTURE"
Which, in addition to its volume, is
probably too scientific for the columns
Of daily ners paper.
In their subsequent remarks upon the
subject. both Records and Thomas
| pointed out the necessity to the culturist
of acquiring a knowledge of, not only
the constituent elements of plants, but
also those of the various soils brought
under cultivation Such knowledge was
an invaluable help in the application OF
fertilizers.
BOyd-''Can the tame cherry be bud.
| ded or grated on the wild cherry stock
| Leyvraz had extensively tried it. but
with no success He had been unable to
obtain any permanent union Of the two
woods. He had successfully budded the
Early Richmond and Italian cherries on
the plum. Had trees at the present time
\ in full bloom
| Mr.. Thomas had found it impossible Ia
bud anything successfully on the wild
cherry. Mr.. Thomas also suggested. in
reference to the orange business, that he
thought il might be wise for the society,
or the members thereof in connection
with others, small growers, to jointly
appoint a single agent to sell all their or
anges at home. This, he thought, would
invite large buyers to notice them, and
make their commissions light. The plan
seemed to be unanimously approved by
the members present
| Next meeting occurs on Wednesday
April 8. at p. m. The public are cor
daily invited 10 be with US.
L. NORRIS, Secretary.
March 90, 1887.